Mangling the English language since 1985

Month: June 2013

I am very pleased to say that not only did the South Jersey Writers’ Group blow away its initial Kickstarter goal of $1,500, which would have allowed us to publish an anthology in 2014 (composed of stories submitted by both members and non-members) and pay the writers, we met our stretch goal of $2,650 and our DREAM GOAL of $3,200!!!

This is spectacular!! It means that we can incorporate under an imprint, we can pay our cover designer and proofreader, we now can provide for additional marketing tools and…wait for it…publish a second Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey!! Tall Tales, Volume One was a great local success and we were featured in the Courier Post, as well as other local papers. The South Jersey Writers Group also made key connections with other local writers and publishers and helped us grow the group and expand into a professional organization this year.

Now that the kickstarter was a rousing success, we also can post the call for submissions located here at the South Jersey Writers meetup page. Submissions will be accepted through August 11, 2013 and are open to all writers, regardless of membership.

If you are a South Jersey writer and would like to join us, we have open membership until June 30, 2013. The cost is $15 for the remaining half of the year. SJWG offers a multitude of activities from monthly discussion groups to critique groups to meet the author nights, as well as retreats and workshops. Please visit our meetup site or contact me for more information.

Once again, congratulations to the group, the organizers, and to all who donated! We hope you will enjoy our newest publishing endeavor as we continue to bring the creative arts to life in South Jersey and beyond!

Wowee! We’ve reached our initial Kickstarter goal and the South Jersey Writers’ second anthology is a go! The call for submissions and all the details are here.

Also, we’re still looking for stretch goal donations so stop on over to the kickstarter and donate today. There are plenty of great incentives including free books, tote bags, editing services and social media promoting services. The kickstarter page is here.

Yup, they all hail from New Jersey. Actually I was pretty surprised at the list of people who were born in NJ. Most people associate the state with either being the poor suburb of New York or with toxic waste dumps.

Oh, yeah, and speaking of toxic dumps, The Jersey Shore. That so-called show on the travesty that is MTV. But let’s move on.

Because when you think of New Jersey, you shouldn’t just think of mob wives, desperate housewives, or badly tanned guidos.

New Jersey actually has a HUGE list of famous actors, musicians, and writers who call it home (or at least, birthplace). The funny thing is, of course, that it really isn’t one state. I mean, politically yes it is. On the map, it is. But everyone knows that New Jersey is really two states – North Jersey (which is basically everything north of around Trenton) and South Jersey. We even sound different. I, for instance, sound more like a Philly girl (which I am – more on that) than anyone on television who lives in New Jersey (who all sound like New Yorkers gone bad).

But let’s step down for a moment from the glitzy heights of Hollywood. New Jersey is way more than guidos, mobsters, and dumps. We actually have a thriving arts scene. Ever since moving here in 2006 from Philadelphia, I’ve met people from all walks of life who are living their quiet suburban lives on the outside while their artsy, vibrant inner lives light up the page and canvas and stage.

I’ve already talked on here about the South Jersey Writers Group which has recently published an anthology and is looking to publish volume two as a paid, professional anthology open to all writers. But beyond South Jersey, there are many writers groups including the Liberty States Writers and the NJ Authors Network, just to name two. In addition to writers, NJ is home to artists and musicians as well.

I’ll be featuring some of these great creative types in the upcoming months. So, if you’re from New Jersey (or even if you just live here now), and would like to be featured, let me know. I’m looking for people to speak out and be the voice of their communities, their state, and their creative profession.

As an extra tidbit, Albert Einstein, who wasn’t born in NJ obviously, emigrated to and lived in Princeton.

Albert freakin Einstein

And somehow I forgot, FORGOT, Peter Dinklage…

I present…Peter Dinklage

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